There were three keynote addresses on Day 2 of the ECB’s Leading to Performance Conference at St George’s Park..
- Gordon Lord, Peter Moores, Andy Flower and Kevin Shine reported on the Fellowship of Elite Coaches.
- Gemma Morgan discussed the ‘sticky’ dimensions of leadership, trust and relationships.
- Stuart Lancaster will share his approach to Creating Cultural Change and Developing a Long Term High Performing Team.
The Fellowship of Elite Coaches
Gordon Lord chaired this keynote session. In it he, Peter, Andy and Kevin discussed the first two years of the Fellowship of Elite Coaches. Peter, Andy and Kevin were the founding fellows nominated in 2012.
Gordon posed the following questions to the Fellows:
- Why did you agree to join the Fellowship?
- Why does the game need a Fellowship?
- How does it work?
- What kind of projects might be envisaged if there were no budgetary constraints?
In response to the fourth question, Andy suggested decision-making; Kevin blending research with expert insights; and Peter elite pathways.
The keynote concluded with the induction of six Fellows:
… and the playing of a video tribute for Damian D’Oliveira.
Gemma Morgan
Gemma shared a remarkable story of her service in Kosovo (1998-1999) and the aftermath of that service.
She spoke to five themes:
- It starts with us.
- Decide what really matters.
- The little things are the big things.
- Connect.
- The difference makes a difference.
These themes were woven into a compelling story of understanding and being with people to create the stickiness of sound, sustainable relationships. Her discussion of an incident in 1999 underscored the vital importance of having connections with and the trust of the community in troubled and very dangerous times.
Stuart Lancaster
Stuart concluded a special day of keynotes. He provided a background to his time as England coach starting with a most comprehensive review of the 2011 World Cup performance.
His talk looked at three themes:
- Leadership, Coaching and Management
- Player responsibility
- Culture
Stuart illustrated his talk with three videos: Tom Brady, Kansas City Chiefs and Henry Fraser.
http://youtu.be/U2YYrGrYynw
He concluded his talk with a discussion of the importance of strong, inspirational leadership. His message resonated powerfully with Gemma’s points and Andy Flower’s focus on Day 1.
All three emphasised the importance of being a people person as a leader.
